SCR604 urges South Dakotans to seek God's healing presence and mercy upon the state. The resolution cites the nation's Judeo-Christian heritage, South Dakota's motto "Under God, the People Rule," and the belief that rights and human dignity come from God. It also recognizes July as an annual time of prayer and fasting in South Dakota.
The South Dakota State House of Representatives passed SCR604 on January 29, 2026 by a vote of 42 to 23. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this resolution reaffirms America's Christian heritage and recognizes that rights and human dignity come from God. By urging South Dakotans to seek God's healing presence and mercy, SCR604 is consistent with South Dakota's motto, "Under God, the People Rule," as well as the historic understanding of America's founding principles. The Continental Congress in 1777, echoing the Mayflower Compact, called "for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom" of "Jesus Christ." Moreover, John Adams, a delegate to the Continental Congress, remarked that the Founding Fathers achieved "Independence" based on the "general Principles of Christianity." Notably, the U.S. Constitution attaches itself to the Declaration of Independence using the words "in the Year of our Lord." There should be no doubt as to why the U.S. Supreme Court in 1892, in Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, unanimously determined that America "is a Christian nation."
